Bryant's thinking doesn't guarantee he will play, however. A team source told Breer the Cowboys will place a hard splint on Bryant's finger Thursday. The Cowboys want to see if the splint will provide enough protection to prevent permanent damage. Bryant will require surgery after the season if he puts it off now, the source told Breer.

"We don't have a definitive plan for Dez right now," coach Jason Garrett told reporters Thursday. "He did see the doctor (Wednesday) and nothing's really changed. We're going to see how he feels today and see if there's a chance that he can play. He went through the walk-through yesterday. He didn't do anything in practice yesterday.